'Iran uhhh...': Kamala Harris's running mate confuses Israel with Iran
Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in the United States, had a little slip-up during the first VP debate on Tuesday. While discussing Israel's pre-emptive strike against Iran, he accidentally called Israel "Iran." The debate, hosted by CBS News in New York City, took a turn when Walz, looking a bit flustered, said, "Iran, uhhh... Israel's ability to defend itself is fundamental."
Walz's confusion extends to 'proxies' reference
Walz, who also happens to be the governor of Minnesota, added to the confusion by using terms usually linked to Iran when talking about Israel. He said, "The expansion of Israel and its proxies is an absolute fundamental necessity for the US to have steady leadership there." The New York Post highlighted that groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, which are backed by Iran, are often called Tehran's proxies.
Republican Jewish Coalition criticizes Walz's debate performance
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) wasted no time in slamming Walz's debate performance. They took to X to say, "Israel and its proxies" - what the hell is Tim Walz talking about? Weak, incompetent, dangerously radical [sic]."
Walz criticizes Trump's approach to foreign policy
Separately, Walz didn't hold back in criticizing former President Donald Trump's approach to foreign policy. He accused Trump of being fickle with US allies and coalitions, and of using social media inappropriately during crises. Walz also blamed Trump for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
